Mr. David O'Callaghan:

I thank the joint committee for the invitation to attend this meeting. I welcome the opportunity to address it in my capacity as chairman designate of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board. As I only recently became aware of this appointment, I am still coming to grips with its challenges and how best I can give leadership and direction in the position.

In the context of my background and experience, I served in the Civil Service for 40 years. I started in the Office of the Revenue Commissioners in 1964 and served there in various capacities until 1993. My experience in that office was mainly in the areas of information technology operations, human resources management and industrial relations. I transferred to the Department of Defence on promotion to the position of assistant secretary in 1993.

I was promoted to Secretary General in the Department of Defence in 1995 and served in that capacity until my retirement in 2004. As Secretary General, I gained substantial experience in all the competencies associated with senior management in a Government Department and especially in the areas of policy development and implementation, corporate governance, managing critical relations and organisation development.

Since my retirement I have chaired several public boards, including the integrated ticketing project board from 2006 to 2011 and the education sector implementation group under the Croke Park agreement between 2010 and 2013. I am currently chairman of the management board of the national directorate for fire and emergency management and I am chairman of the Irish Red Cross Society.

All in all, this experience has given me a keen appreciation of the importance of good corporate governance in the direction, control, leadership and development of an organisation. I appreciate the necessity of directing a board to be open, accountable and focused which, in the case of the Residential institutions Statutory Fund Board, is to provide an efficient and effective service to the former residents of institutions.

I believe that a board should be committed to maintaining high standards of corporate governance and that a solid corporate governance framework enables efficient and effective decision making with clear responsibilities, leading to achieving the organisation's objectives. Key areas of focus for the board should include developing strategy, monitoring financial performance and ensuring standards of conduct and accountability.

I regret that Sylda Langford, the outgoing chairperson, was obliged to resign due to planned surgery which would limit her availability to perform her functions. From what I gather the board members and staff of the board, under her direction, have successfully laid the groundwork for the fund to open for the receipt of applications from the start of last month. I gather it has received about 1,000 applications to date.

I will build on that work to ensure that the board members and the chief executive officer and her staff will work together to deliver on what is required under the 2012 Act in a considered, timely and effective manner. As four of the nine board members will be people who were resident in institutions, the board and staff have available to them insight and advice which will be of valued assistance.

Under the Act, the board has two key functions, one, to make arrangements for the provision of approved services to support the needs of former residents and, two, to pay a grant to former residents in order that they may avail of an approved service. The board will be required to do its work in a manner that promotes the principles of equity, consistency and transparency. The board must also promote an understanding of the effects of abuse on former residents among those involved in the provision of approved services and publicly available services to former residents as well as carrying out evaluations of the effectiveness of services.

I realise that I have a lot to learn about the operation of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund but, subject to ratification, I will fulfil my responsibilities as chairperson by working closely with the chief executive and staff, relying on the expertise, judgment and support of the other eight members of the board and the support and assistance of our sponsoring Department, the Department of Education and Skills.

I thank the members for their attention. I look forward to the challenge presented to me by this appointment and I sincerely hope and trust that the former residents will truly benefit from the implementation of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund.